Any of you guys, especiially in the Mid West ever hunt with AWS? I've had a couple and in fact am getting another pup soon. I think pound for pound they are probably the toughest retriever there is and they have always been bred to hunt (no bench type). I never hear anyone on this forum talk about them, just wonder why? In the interest of full disclosure I do have a Chessie because they are better in big water ( I live in Washington State) but for ponds and smaller rivers and even lakes my old water spaniel would hunt with the big boys all day long.[code][/code]

With all due respect it was a serious question. I don' think denigrating a good breed shows much class. I thought this was a forum for discussion not insults. Maybe I was wrong. By the way it might be cool to show some pictures of that yellow lab actually retrieving something besides a training dummy.

QG, knock it off. Those posts are mighty close to the edge....
Good natured teasing is one thing, but they are not good natured considering you do not even know him. And quit using the implied swearing too.

Back in 1996, I had the Pleasure of Hunting with some Guys from Connecticut.
They had come to Pennsylvania to Hunt our Resident Canada Geese.

They brought with them a AWS.

This dog was GREAT!

It could not Retrieve Geese, But it Sure put a hurting on the Labs retrieving Doves!!

I talked with them about this Breed, First I had Ever Heard or Seen an AWS!

They said, the AWS wasn't for Goose hunters, But was VERY Good for Ducks.
The Owner told me, if I wanted to get a Good Laugh, to see an AWS retrieve a BIG Fat Drake Mallard.
He said, A Big Ole Mallard can be a Mouth Full for an AWS!

Ever since I hunted over this Dog, I have Wanted one!
Did alittle Research on the AWS and liked what I read and so did the Wife!

Found a Very Good Breeder in the West, back in 2000. Talked with her 1 time and Exchanged E-mails. When I decided to buy one, she was no longer to be found by phone calls or E-mails!

I settled for another Lab!

From Hunting over that 1 AWS, I was hooked on that breed!
I personally think they are packed with more Energy then a lab!

Mostly all of our Goose hunting is Fields, Which you really don't need a dog unless you have a Cripple that runs on you! In that Case, I feel an AWS would be able to tackle and hold a goose until you could get to it?!?

Great little Dogs in my "Book"

Our youth are the Back Bone to hunting of the Future. Teach them WELL!

A water retiever is the only way I could personally see a AWS retrieving a Goose......until they got to land.

If someone trained a Jack Russel to Retrieve, I would not Argue that they could not do a water retrieve on a Goose! Most any Dog can Push a Goose thru Water......But Carrying a Goose over a field is what I'm looking at.

From what I have seen, there really isn't any Arguing that an AWS isn't a Good Choice for a Hunting Dog

Our youth are the Back Bone to hunting of the Future. Teach them WELL!

In addition to its fondness for working in water, the breed proved itself to be an adept retriever of small upland game, including rabbits, pheasants, grouse and quail. Its nose is keen and the dog can work a thicket by scent, springing game, not pointing at it. Its long muzzle is strong enough to carry a Canada goose. As a hunting dog, a gun dog, this breed has few equals.

I'm NOT Arguing the AWS isn't a Good Retreiving Dog!
I'm NOT Even Arguing that they could not retrieve a Goose, Just going by What I was told!

though I'd have to see 1 retrieve a Goose to Believe they can

Our youth are the Back Bone to hunting of the Future. Teach them WELL!

Well guys here's the deal, my AWS was a big dog for the breed probably 50+ lbs. He never had a problem retrieving ducks but while I have no doubt he could have probably got a goose to me eventually he would have had to work real hard at it . Their mouths just are'nt big enough to get it around a big honker so he would have had to grab a wing and drag it. I have no doubt he would have tried if asked, they don't have any quit in them.

Never hunted over an AWS, but my hats off to the breed. Afterall, it is one of only three dogs native to the US, and one of four native to north america, and a Lab is nowhere in that group.
As my name implies, I hunt with a Boykin. Everything I have ever read or heard on the AWS is great. I think them and a Boykin are like 3rd cousins, twice removed.